CLL Practice Test

The Certified Lean Leader (CLL) exam is offered by PeopleCert under the IASSC name and has no prerequisites. This page gives candidates the exam format, fee and passing score from the official listing, free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with explanations, a study plan and answers to common questions.

CLL Exam at a Glance

What changed for CLL in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to No prerequisites; exam available in English (previously No prerequisites; exam in English).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility (Re-certification) changed to Certified Lean Leader earned 3+ years ago (previously CLL holders certified 3+ years ago).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee changed to US$289 (previously US$289 exam voucher).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee (Re-certification) changed to US$196 (previously US$196 exam voucher).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Score release (Re-certification) changed to 2 working days (previously Official results in 2 working days).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to Online proctored 24/7 or at a training centre (previously Online proctored, 24/7, or at a training centre).^[1]

What the CLL is and how it works

According to PeopleCert / IASSC, “90 questions Multiple choice 120 minutes Closed book Minimum required score to pass: 70%”^[1]

The Certified Lean Leader exam is part of the IASSC Lean range from PeopleCert. It tests whether you can apply lean thinking to the way work is led, measured and improved. There are no prerequisites, and the exam is available in English.

You can take the exam online with a proctor, 24/7, from home or the office. You can also take it at a training centre as part of instructor-led study. The exam voucher costs US$289.

The exam has 90 multiple-choice questions and a 120 minute time limit. It is closed book, and the minimum required score to pass is 70%.

The certification is renewed every 3 years. If you earned the credential 3 or more years ago, you can take the recertification exam instead of the full one. It costs US$196 and has 45 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. It is also closed book, with the same 70% minimum score. PeopleCert lists official results for the recertification exam in 2 working days.

Fees, formats and rules can change, and the official listing is the source to trust. Check the PeopleCert page for the Certified Lean Leader exam before you book. Our practice sets are written by us with AI tools. They are not real exam questions, and they cannot predict your result.

Worked examples: how to reason through CLL questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the purpose of peer review in CLL professional practice?

1. To evaluate work quality through assessment by qualified colleagues and promote continuous improvement
2. To create competition between colleagues
3. To determine who should be promoted
4. To reduce workload through delegation

Answer: A. To evaluate work quality through assessment by qualified colleagues and promote continuous improvement

Explanation:

The correct answer is that peer review evaluates work quality through assessment by qualified colleagues and promotes continuous improvement. The purpose is learning and quality, so feedback from people who understand the work is the whole point.

Creating competition between colleagues is wrong because peer review is meant to be collaborative, not a contest. Deciding who should be promoted is wrong because review looks at the work, not at career decisions, and mixing the two makes people defensive. Reducing workload through delegation is wrong because review adds a checking step and does not move tasks to other people.

Rule to remember: when a question asks about the purpose of a review practice, choose the option about quality, accountability and improvement, and reject options about rivalry, rewards or shortcuts.

Example 2

Question: Which lean concept focuses on pulling materials through the supply chain based on actual customer demand rather than forecasts?

1. Push production
2. Pull system (Kanban)
3. Batch-and-queue
4. Safety stock buffering

Answer: B. Pull system (Kanban)

Explanation:

The correct answer is a pull system, often run with Kanban. Downstream demand sends a signal, and only then is material replenished, so production follows actual customer use and not a forecast.

Push production is wrong because it builds to a schedule or forecast and sends material forward whether or not the next step needs it. Batch-and-queue is wrong because it moves large lots through a process, which creates waiting and extra inventory. Safety stock buffering is wrong because it is a cushion held against uncertainty. It is not a method for triggering replenishment from real demand.

Rule to remember: pull means the customer or the next process asks for work, while push means the supplier sends it ahead of need. Overproduction is the waste that pull is designed to reduce.

Example 3

Question: Why should KPIs be reviewed regularly?

1. To create more meetings.
2. To adjust strategies and ensure alignment
3. To reduce documentation.
4. To increase paperwork.

Answer: B. To adjust strategies and ensure alignment

Explanation:

The correct answer is to adjust strategies and ensure alignment. KPIs only help if they are checked against goals often enough to spot drift, so regular review lets a team act on deviations and keep its work pointed at the strategy.

Creating more meetings is wrong because meetings are a side effect at best, never the aim. Reducing documentation is wrong because reviewing KPIs does not exist to cut records, and good measurement usually needs clear records. Increasing paperwork is wrong for the same reason in the other direction, since the goal is better decisions and not more forms.

Rule to remember: a measure earns its place by driving a decision. When a question asks why to review metrics, pick the answer about adjusting course and alignment, and reject answers about administrative burden.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official PeopleCert page for the Certified Lean Leader exam. Note the format, the 120 minute limit and the 70% minimum score, and read any outline or syllabus it links to. Then use our practice sets to find where you are weak.

Take a topic set cold, without notes, because the real exam is closed book. Afterwards, read the explanation for every question, including those you got right. Write down the rule behind each miss in your own words, and group the misses by topic. Value stream mapping, waste identification, Kaizen events, metrics and team leadership are good places to look for patterns, because they connect to many other topics.

Spend your next sessions on the sets where you missed the most. Return to the official material to fill the gaps, then retake those sets after a few days to see whether the rules stuck.

Near test day, run the full practice test in one sitting with a timer set to 120 minutes. Practise reading each question stem carefully and removing options that contradict lean principles. If you plan an online proctored sitting, check your equipment and room in advance using the PeopleCert instructions.

Sources & last verified

1. PeopleCert / IASSC — number of questions, time limit, exam fee, passing score (official source). “90 questions Multiple choice 120 minutes Closed book Minimum required score to pass: 70%” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. PeopleCert / IASSC — number of questions, time limit, passing score, exam fee (official source). “45 questions Multiple choice 60 minutes Closed book Minimum required score to pass: 70%” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.